Yahoo! News "Suramapagi! (Good morning)" Is Indonesia so different from Japan? Compare customs and cultures!

"Suramapagi! (Good morning)" Is Indonesia so different from Japan? Compare customs and cultures!

Do you know the cultural differences between Japan and Indonesia? Customs that are taken for granted in Japan may not work at all in Indonesia. [Related Image] "Suramapagi! (Good morning)" Is Indonesia so different from Japan? Compare customs and cultures! For example, there are many completely different points, such as the way of thinking about time, the manners of eating, and the prohibition of pork and alcohol. Therefore, this time, I will explain in detail the cultural differences between Indonesia and Japan. ■ Culture of Indonesia Indonesia is a country in Southeast Asia with a population of about 273 million. It is a multi-ethnic country consisting of about 70 ethnic groups including Malays, and there are many different cultures and customs from Japan. In addition, Indonesia has a large number of languages, and it is said that there are about 700 in total. Of the 700 languages, the official language is "Indonesian", but Indonesians also speak local languages. In Indonesia, Islam accounts for nearly 90%. Other religions include Christianity, Hinduism, and Buddhism, depending on the person. In this way, many people place importance on religion. ■ Differences from Japan ①: Spend a relaxing time Indonesia is different from Japan and spends a relaxing time. Sometimes called "rubber time", many people spend their time leisurely without worrying about time. The Japanese are so serious that they live their daily lives in a hurry. The seriousness is one of the charms of Japanese people, but many people are too busy and stressed. On the other hand, in Indonesia, it is natural that the meeting time is delayed by about 30 minutes, and no one mentions the delay. An Indonesian who is loose on time, but he keeps his working hours. ■ Differences from Japan (2): Eat with your right hand without lifting the tableware In Japan, it is basic to lift and eat the tableware, but in Indonesia, you eat with your right hand with the tableware on. In Indonesia, the left hand is considered "unclean", so it is good manners to eat with the right hand. In addition, a small bowl of water called a "finger bowl" is prepared on the table, and you can eat while washing the fingertips of your right hand. Although this custom still remains in some areas, modern-day eating methods using spoons and forks are the norm. ■ Differences from Japan ③: Only work according to salary is done Japan and Indonesia have different ways of thinking about salary. In Japan, it is basic to change the salary depending on the result of work and the length of work. On the other hand, in Indonesia, the amount of work fluctuates according to salary. For example, if the salary is set at 100,000 yen a month, only the amount of work commensurate with that amount will be done. In addition, since the way of thinking about salary is severe, troubles are likely to occur in cases such as "the same amount of work and low salary". Keep this idea in mind when hiring Indonesians at your company. ■ Differences from Japan ④: Pork and alcohol are prohibited Indonesians are mostly Muslims, so they cannot eat or drink pork or alcohol. Also, be careful about foods derived from pigs and animals. Furthermore, it is said that he does not have a very good impression of his work dealing with pork and alcohol. However, this idea does not apply to everyone living in Indonesia. Some locals like to eat and drink pork and alcohol. However, it is very different from Japanese culture, so you need to be careful when handling pork and alcohol. ■ Summary This time, I explained the differences in culture and customs between Japan and Indonesia. Indonesia has a large variety of ethnic groups, many languages, and an emphasis on religion, so its culture and customs are very different from those of Japan. What you take for granted in Japan may not work at all in Indonesia. Also, if you act without knowing anything, you will think that you are a very rude person, so be sure to understand the differences in culture and customs explained in this article. There are many differences other than the culture introduced this time, so if you are interested, please check it out.